Role of Blood Tests in Children with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
Author Information
Author(s): Munteanu Andrei-Ioan, Jugănaru Iulius, Nicoară Delia-Maria, Mang Niculina, Vasilescu Raluca, Brad Giorgiana-Flavia, Scutca Alexandra-Cristina, Asproniu Raluca, Cristun Lucian-Ioan, Mărginean Otilia, Poddighe Dimitri, Romano Micol
Primary Institution: ‘Victor Babeş’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timisoara
Hypothesis
Can complete blood count (CBC)-derived indices serve as markers of systemic inflammation in children with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis?
Conclusion
Elevated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) levels in pediatric Hashimoto’s thyroiditis patients suggest that inflammation may extend beyond the thyroid gland.
Supporting Evidence
- HT patients showed significantly higher neutrophil and lymphocyte counts than controls.
- 50% of HT patients had subclinical HT, while 34% had overt thyroid dysfunction.
- Logistic regression indicated a strong association between elevated NLR and HT diagnosis.
- ROC analysis confirmed NLR as the most accurate CBC-derived marker for distinguishing HT from controls.
Takeaway
This study found that kids with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis have higher levels of certain blood cells, which might show that their body is inflamed.
Methodology
This was a cross-sectional retrospective study comparing CBC-derived indices between 147 pediatric patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and 144 healthy controls.
Potential Biases
Potential selection bias due to the retrospective nature of the study.
Limitations
The study's retrospective design may lead to selection bias, and the moderate sample size limits generalizability.
Participant Demographics
Median age of participants was 13.6 years, with 66% being girls.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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